There Will Always Be
by Ryuutsu Seishin Hime no Argh
Summary: Two years after Ansem's defeat, Sora is haunted by nightmares of the friend he left behind in Kingdom Hearts. He'll do anything he can to help Riku - even if it means imprisoning himself in shadows forever. FINISHED.
1. Part I

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hello all, welcome to my first-ever Kingdom Hearts fanfic. I wrote this shortly after beating KH for the second time, mostly to explore the characters of Riku and Sora. This isn't yaoi, though I suppose you could take it that way if you want. It's really just about friends and their devotion to one another. I call this a one-shot because it's shorter than my work usually is, but there will be about three or four chapters. 

  


Title: There Will Always Be

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any related characters and concepts. In all other aspects this fanfiction is solely my property and may not be used without my permission. Copyright 2003 to C.L.F.

Rating: PG for mild violence and language.

  


Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

  


***

  


There Will Always Be

  


***

  


Part I

  


Night had long since fallen, and silvery stars sprinkled the velvety blue curtain of night over a land rich with vivid green fields and deep forests. Sora lay on his back in the rich grass and stared at the sky, counting the stars as he waited for sleep to come. Goofy was snoring loudly on his right, and a little apart from Goofy's stretched-out form, Donald's legs were motoring through the air as though he were running and he was muttering softly to himself. Sora had to grin, because the sight of those yellow duck legs going faster and faster was just funny, but at the same time he wondered what sort of dream Donald was having. 

  


Was he dreaming of the girlfriend, Daisy, that he was always talking about–perhaps chasing her playfully around the courtyard of his home castle? Or was he was in the throes of a nightmare, the kind that plagued them all occasionally, full of ravenous shadows ready to devour their hearts?

  


Before Sora could decide whether or not to wake Donald, just in case he was having a nightmare, Goofy gave a loud snort and an involuntarily jerk, his foot connecting squarely with Donald's backside. Donald squawked indignantly, only half-waking, then rolled over and sunk into a more peaceful sleep. 

  


Sora went back to gazing at the stars, knowing it was only a matter of time before sleep claimed him, for days spent wandering through this endless country were fairly exhausting. But he knew that sleep, when it came, would hardly be restful. He would dream again–of that he had no doubt–his own personal nightmares that had plagued him for months, the ones where his loved ones were in danger and there was nothing he could do to help them.

  


And there was an awful truth to those dreams. Kairi, at least, he knew was safe on Destiny Island. He missed her with a constant, terrible ache in the pit of his stomach, but he never worried for her safety. Riku, on the other hand, was sealed in the eternal pit of shadows that was Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds, the birthplace of all Heartless. He and Mickey, Goofy and Donald's mouse-ish King, had been there for nearly two years. 

  


_Kingdom Hearts is light!_

  


Sora smiled ironically as his own former words came back to him, the words he had spoken just before Kingdom Hearts opened. For Kingdom Hearts was not only the heart of all words, but it was a place that existed deep inside the hearts of every living being in all the universe. And Sora knew, without a doubt, that this place was light. There was light in even the blackest of hearts, and from Kingdom Hearts it shone.

  


Yet Kingdom Hearts was a paradox, being not only light but also shadow, the birthplace of Heartless. And it was there that Riku and Mickey were imprisoned, with thousands of Heartless who had no hearts to devour save for Riku and Mickey's own. Sora refused to believe that even after two years, Riku and Mickey's hearts were gone. They were still fighting. They would never stop fighting. And he, Sora, would not rest until he found and freed them from their prison.

  


That was the problem.

  


When they'd finally caught up with Pluto and gotten the king's letter, Sora, Donald, and Goofy were sure that their troubles were over. But it was not to be.

  


_"Sora," _the letter had said, _"we've never met, but I know well the task that has been laid before you. You've been chosen as the Keyblade Master, and as such it's your job to seal Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. It's my hope that we'll meet before the end, but if not, let me just say this–the heart is the strongest weapon that any person holds. You'll come to realize this, if you haven't already. Cherish your heart and those of your friends; they're always with you. Believe in them, and believe in yourself, and you can do anything. There will always be a door to the light. Sincerely yours, Mickey."_

  


Encouraging, but not very practical. Yes, there would always be a door to the light, Sora knew that. If only he knew how to find it, to open it, because once he did he knew he would see his friends again. Anything would be possible. So he, Donald, and Goofy had searched endlessly for some clue that might help them open the door to light. And in two years of wandering, they had nothing to show for it. 

  


Sora's eyes fluttered shut. He was drowning in the blackness of sleep. His limbs felt as heavy as lead; he was too tired to even move. Try as he might to resist, sleep claimed him and he fell into dreams.

  


There were shadows everywhere. He was in the blackest of places and could not see a thing. Claws scrabbled and grasped at his arms and legs; Sora shook himself free of them and began to run in a blind panic. He had to escape the shadows! He had to find the light!

  


He tripped over something he couldn't see and sprawled face-first on the ground. Then they were on him, hundreds of them, like a pack of ravenous wolves ready to devour their prey. Sora tried and tried to summon the Keyblade to him, but the mystical weapon would not appear. Claws plunged into his chest and Sora gasped in pain, then agony, as the invading shadow wrapped itself around his heart.

  


Then he was the shadow, holding a heart aloft in triumph. The heart still shone with a piercing light, and as Sora prepared to devour it, he saw at his feet the body of his victim.

  


It was Riku, lifeless and limp, his eyes blank and staring into Sora's very soul.

  


_"No!" _Sora shrieked, bolting upright and clutching at his chest. Goofy too came awake with a start and Donald flew several feet into the air, a cloud of white feathers molting from his body. The duck landed on his backside and stared around blankly for a few moments before his eyes found Sora.

  


"DON'T–SCARE–ME–LIKE–THAT!" Donald bellowed.

  


"Gwarsh, Donald, I don' think he meant to," Goofy offered, gazing with concern at the pale, trembling Sora. "Were you havin' a nightmare, Sora?"

  


Sora felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest and knew that it was still there; knew that he was not a Heartless who had just devoured his best friend's heart. "Y-yeah."

  


Donald sighed, waddled over to Sora, and plopped down in front of him. "All right, let's hear it."

  


Sora shook his head. "I don't think I want to talk about it."

  


"Donald's right, Sora. Telling us about yer dream'll make ya feel better," Goofy pointed out.

  


"Maybe," Sora admitted. "Maybe not. But I'd still rather not talk about it."

  


"Y'sure?" 

  


Sora nodded.

  


Donald sighed again, impatiently this time, and returned to his spot in the grass, rolling over with many an indignant mutter. Goofy looked at Sora for a few second longer, then laid back in the grass as well.

  


Sora looked at the lightening sky; dawn was not far. This realization sent a chill down his spine. He didn't relish the idea of spending the whole night with Heartless.

  


_Riku spends every night with them, _a voice whispered in Sora's mind, _and every day. _

  


_I know, _Sora told the voice in frustration.

  


_He's suffering more than you ever have._

  


_I know!_

  


Sora climbed to his feet and went to the stream a little way from their campsite to wash up. The others wouldn't be up for a few more hours, and he was still tired, but there was no way he was going back to sleep now. He was too afraid of what dreams might come.

* * *

  


The next day they set out across the countryside again, with a notable lack of their usual amiable banter and good-natured joking. Sora was exhausted. He felt as though he would like to collapse in the middle of the road and go to sleep right there. He probably would, if he thought his sleep would be at all restful.

  


He sensed Donald and Goofy both watching him and knew that his friends were worried, but he said nothing to alleviate their concern. He was angry. Angry because they had been wandering through the same world for nearly two years. Angry because in all their travels they had not once found a clue that would help them. Angry because they were enjoying the warm sunlight while Riku was suffering unthinkable horrors in utter darkness. But most of all he was angry at himself, because he could not muster the will to believe that they would find the door to light.

  


So he was the Keyblade Master. So what? That didn't make him invincible to all of life's trials and tribulations. That didn't mean he could do anything he wanted. He couldn't wave his Keyblade like a wand and magically summon Riku and Mickey from the depths of Kingdom Hearts.

  


What if they never found his friends? What if they just kept searching, and Riku and Mickey just kept fighting, until one day they lost the will to fight altogether? What if they already had?

  


These questions plagued Sora until he wanted to knock his head against something hard just to be rid of them.

  


That night they pitched camp, as usual, and cooked dinner while Goofy checked the map they'd acquired in a town some hundred miles back. "I reckon we're about another day's walk from the city," Goofy said, scratching his head as he turned the map this way and that. "Maybe we'll find something there, huh?" he added hopefully.

  


_Not likely, _Sora wanted to say, but instead he nodded moodily.

  


Usually after dinner they stayed up talking and joking and swapping stories from their home worlds, but Sora was obviously in no mood for that tonight, so Goofy and Donald went to bed early and were happily snoring before long. Sora sat in the grass, leaning against a rock, and stared silently into space as he fought a hard battle with fatigue. He was determined not to give in to sleep. He wanted no part of the nightmares.

  


Sora glanced up and saw Riku sitting atop his rock.

  


His mouth fell open, and he blurted the first thing that came to mind. "I'm dreaming this, aren't I?"

  


Riku glanced down at him and gave his trademark smirk. His eyes were strangely bright and greener than Sora had ever seen them, his silver hair aglow as if reflecting the light of the stars, and his body was more solid, more _real, _than anything around him–it was as though everything but the very essence of Riku had been stripped away, and his soul was bared defiantly for the world to see.

  


"You're not dreaming, dummy," Riku said lazily in his own unique drawl that was at once condescending and affectionate. "This is the only way I can speak to you."

  


Sora blinked. "I don't understand. If I'm not dreaming, then how the hell are you here?"

  


Riku shrugged. "Mickey calls it 'incorporeal projection' or some crap like that. My body is still in Kingdom Hearts, but my heart is here with you, and has created a temporary physical presence for me. See?" He smacked Sora upside the head.

  


"Ow!" Sora jumped to his feet, rubbing the back of his head. 

  


Riku grinned. "It works. Cool."

  


Sora gaped at him, openmouthed. "Riku–you–you're actually here?"

  


But Riku shook his head. "Uh-uh. Like I said. Here in heart, body back in Kingdom Hearts. Mickey said he'd guard me for a while so I could talk to you. I've been trying this for a long time. Finally worked."

  


Sora continued to stare at him. There were so many questions, so many things he wanted to know, that he didn't know where to start. "Are you...are you okay, Riku?" 

  


"I'm fine," Riku said with a dismissive wave of his hand, but Sora heard the hard edge in his voice and saw his sea-green eyes darken briefly.

"You're not fine," Sora said flatly, hating himself for his utter inadequacy. Here in spirit or not, Riku was still trapped in Kingdom Hearts, and there wasn't a single damn thing he could do about it.

  


"Doesn't matter," Riku said shortly, his eyes darker than ever as they locked on Sora's. "What matters is that you stay the hell out of Kingdom Hearts."

  


Sora blinked at this astounding statement. "What in all the worlds do you mean?"

  


"You know what I mean," Riku snapped, his eyes flashing. "You think I haven't seen you? Brief flashes of you, there and gone before I can even say a word? Are you crazy, or what? If you ever managed to do what I'm doing–to project your heart there–it wouldn't matter if your body was out here! You'd still be in danger!"

  


Sora shook his head, more to clear it than to say no. Brief flashes of him in Kingdom Hearts? Did that mean that the nightmares he had were partly true, that he was somehow projecting himself into Kingdom Hearts without even realizing it?

  


His heart began to hammer in his chest. _Could he project himself permanently into Kingdom Hearts?_

  


Riku looked at his hands. They were literally fading, flesh turning transparent, and the effect was spreading throughout his body. "Shit. I knew this wouldn't last long." His eyes met Sora's again, flashing wildly. "Don't come back, Sora! Stay out! You don't understand what sort of d–"

  


He was gone.

  


Sora stared at the spot where Riku had been. _You don't understand what sort of dangers are in Kingdom Hearts. _He was sure that was what Riku had tried to say. So Riku and Mickey were in danger, as Sora had suspected all along.

  


He had to help them. And he'd just figured out how.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	2. Part II

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Thanks to those who read and reviewed Part I, I greatly appreciate it. ^^ I'm just about done with the story. There will be three parts, so check back soon for the final chapter! And as always, thanks for reading!

  


***

  


Part II

  


They arrived in the city the following evening, and pooled the munny they'd accumulated throughout their journey for hotel rooms. "A real bed!" Donald enthused as they headed toward the hotel, elbowing politely through crowds of locals. The city reminded Sora of Traverse Town, only it was bigger and the people not as friendly to outsiders.

  


"Want to go get dinner, Sora?" Goofy asked once the three had settled into their rooms.

  


"No thanks," Sora said, feigning cheeriness. "I'm gonna take a nap, I think."

  


"We'll bring you something," Donald assured him, tapping a foot impatiently against the floor. "Let's go, Goofy, I'm hungry!"

  


The two left, and Sora grimly sunk down onto the bed. He did not intend to sleep at all, oh no.

  


He hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes and called forth the Keyblade, the mystical weapon that was always by his side. A small smile touched his features as the smooth blade appeared in his hands. He didn't know quite where the weapon came from, only that it was always with him, and he could call or dismiss it at will. He suspected it somehow harbored itself inside of him when not manifesting into a physical form.

  


He opened his eyes and looked at it, running a hand over the silvery weapon. Its weight was just right for him, never too light or heavy. This Keyblade represented, more than anything, the deeds he had done and the ends he had accomplished. He believed in his Keyblade, and his Keyblade believed in him. It was a good place to start.

  


Sora closed his eyes again, gripping the Keyblade tightly. _Believe. _It was sheer will that had carried him from Destiny Island and back, that had allowed him to fight, to fly, that had brought him to the gate of Kingdom Hearts. Belief in his friends, will, and a strong heart–Sora was nothing if lacking these qualities, but his was a faith that many agreed was indomitable, even if Sora wasn't sure of that himself.

  


_Believe in yourself and you can do anything. There will always be a door to the light._

  


Sora clutched the Keyblade close to his heart. 

  


_There will always be a door to the light._

  


He thought of Riku and Mickey, alone in the shadows, kindling in himself an intense desire to fight beside and protect his friends.

  


_There will always be a door to the light._

  


_Believe! _Sora told himself.

  


_There will always be a door to the light!_

* * *

  


Sora stood in shadow.

  


It was like his nightmares, only the shadows around him weren't impenetrable. His Keyblade was glowing with a steady silver light, for which Sora was inexorably grateful. At the same time he wished that it wasn't, just so that he wouldn't have to see the shadows around him stir, so many yellow eyes turning to him as the Heartless became aware of his presence. There were dozens upon dozens of them, far more than Sora had ever fought. 

  


Grimly he slid into a defensive stance, the Keyblade ready in his hands. His weapon hummed as the Heartless drew nearer as if it, too, were preparing for battle.

  


Then the first Heartless attacked, and everything slid away. All thoughts, all fears were gone as Sora struck, parried, and struck again, whirling and twisting and leaping. At times like these it was as though the Keyblade wielded him–he was mindless, fighting with such automatic grace that it was as though he were rehearsing a dance. Heartless fell and disappeared, slashed to ribbons by the Keyblade, but it was a violence contrasted by the serenity in Sora's soul. He had no hatred toward these creatures, only pity, for he knew first-hand how dark and empty their worlds were. What could they do but seek the warmth and light of hearts?

Though he felt little pain, he knew it when the Heartless's claws tore into him, opening small gashes that stung and bled. He ignored the wounds as he continued to fight, but there were many Heartless and only one of him. No matter how many he struck down, more appeared from the shadows, and he felt a kind of grim calm as he knew it was only a matter of time before they overpowered him.

  


A Heartless slashed his back viciously and Sora stumbled, caught off guard as even more of the shadows leapt for him, eyes aglow with ravenous hunger. 

  


The Keyblade in his hand pulsed, then sang, as another silver-glowing Keyblade whirled over his head, cutting through the attacking Heartless. Seconds later Riku landed where the Heartless had been, scooping up the Keyblade into his left hand–he held a second in his right hand already–and tearing through the remaining Heartless like a whirlwind. Sora stared at him, paralyzed with astonishment, as Riku slashed and hacked, darting and whirling so fast he was little more than a silvery blur. 

  


"Let's go, Sora!" Riku ordered when the Heartless's numbers were cut in half, and began running. Sora unfroze his legs and darted after him. Heartless followed close at their heels, more springing at them from the shadows, but Riku's dual Keyblades sliced them to ribbons before they even got close. 

  


"Head toward the light!" Riku called to Sora, panting hard from his exertions with the Keyblades. Sora, on the other hand, felt rather as though he could run all day. He supposed he really was here just in heart, rather than body.

  


He could see ahead of them a large bonfire, and as he and Riku drew closer to it, the Heartless fell away. He and Riku skidded to a stop beside the bonfire in the midst of a makeshift camp. Mickey was there waiting for them.

  


"Thanks for the loan," Riku said breathlessly, tossing one of the Keyblades to Mickey, who caught it one-handed. 

  


"No problem," said the mouse in a high-pitched voice before nodding to Sora. "Hello, Sora. Good to see you again."

  


"Likewise," said Sora.

  


"No, it's _not_ good," Riku interjected, whirling on Sora. He looked furious. "I told you to stay out!"

  


"And I ignored you," Sora replied, gazing calmly into his friend's eyes. "I want to be here, to help you."

  


Riku opened his mouth as though ready to snap at him again, but Mickey cut in. "Just outta curiosity, how _are_ you here, Sora?"

  


"Riku actually gave me the idea," Sora explained, ignoring his friend's snort. "He told me that you've been seeing flashes of me here, right? I've been having nightmares for months, dreaming that I was trapped here in Kingdom Hearts–but somehow I really _was_ here, without even realizing it. So I decided to try that incorporeal rejection–"

  


"Incorporeal projection," said Riku and Mickey in unison.

  


"Yeah, that's it," Sora agreed cheerfully. "And–well–I guess it worked."

  


Mickey exchanged a glance with Riku, then looked at Sora again, frowning. "But incorporeal projection is very difficult. It takes immense strength of will to project your heart even temporarily into a different place. How long have you been here?"

"I'm here permanently," Sora said firmly. "You told me yourself, Mickey. If I believe in myself, I can do anything. I believed that I could project myself here permanently and I have. There will always be a door to the light," he added, intoning the phrase that he had lived by these past two years.

  


Riku snorted again. "Sora's got strength of will, all right. He's a thick-skulled as a mule."

  


"Thanks," Sora said dryly.

  


Riku looked at him, green eyes dangerous. "I'm not joking around with you, Sora. This isn't some game. Those Heartless could have killed you if I hadn't found you."

  


"That's the point, Riku. You've always helped me, so I'm here to help you." Sora let his gaze travel between Riku and Mickey. "Two years ago I let you both be sealed inside Kingdom Hearts. That was wrong, plain and simple. It should have been me, not you."

  


"You don't carry the worlds on your shoulders, Sora!" Riku cried, clearly frustrated. "And I don't need your protection!"

  


Sora smiled. He was glad two years inside Kingdom Hearts hadn't erased Riku's pride. "Think of it as teamwork, then," he suggested.

  


Mickey once again chose to interject. "You two are frazzled after that last attack. Let's give us a few hours to clear our heads, okay? We can talk about this later."

  


Riku glared at Sora for a few moments, looking madder than a stung bull. "Later," he said ominously at last.

  


But there would be no later, Sora thought stubbornly. He was here to stay, and that was that.

* * *

  


With Sora's promise to stand guard for the night–or was it day? he couldn't tell–Riku and Mickey both collapsed on the ground next to their bonfire and went to sleep. 

  


"Lucky for us, the Heartless don't come near our fire," Mickey had explained. "They don't like the light. They've lived their entire lives in shadow; they're not as bold as the ones you encountered throughout the worlds."

  


"They don't like the Keyblades either," Riku added. "In fact, they're terrified of them. But we're they're only source of food, so they keep trying."

  


"Sometimes the bravest ones come to the camp, even with the fire," said Mickey. "That's why we need a guard at all times. Lucky there are two of us, huh?"

  


"Three now," Sora had pointed out, ignoring Riku's scowl, and offered to guard.

  


Sora shifted his weight from one foot to another as he gazed around the campsite for a sign of movement, shifting his Keyblade restlessly on his shoulders. He felt as though he would never be tired, and marveled at how much stronger he was without an actual body, however solid he seemed to be. Sora cast a brief thought to Donald and Goofy, wondering if they had discovered his body by now. He supposed he should have left a note or something to let them know what had happened to him and that he was all right. He wished he'd thought of that before projecting his heart into Kingdom Hearts.

  


In truth, Sora wasn't looking forward to spending a near eternity sealed inside Kingdom Hearts, waiting for the day that Goofy and Donald could set them all free. But he was here by choice and here he would remain, no matter what.

  


Footsteps behind him made Sora whirl, Keyblade at the ready. Riku held up his hands. "Just me." His mouth twisted in a wry smile. "You're getting as jumpy as Mickey and I already."

  


"I thought you were sleeping." Sora slung his Keyblade over a shoulder once more.

  


"I don't sleep for more than a few hours at a time," Riku said darkly, taking a seat on the ground beside Sora. Sora hesitated, then sank down next to him.

"You must lead a really hard life here."

  


Riku rolled his eyes. "No sympathy, Sora. I'm used to it. This is where I belong. _You_ shouldn't be here. If you don't go back, who's going to get Mickey and I out of here?"

  


"Donald and Goofy will," Sora said with certainty. "They'll keep searching until they find a way."

  


"What about Kairi?" Riku demanded, swiftly changing tact. "Are you just going to leave her alone? I told you to take care of her, Sora!"

  


Sora hesitated. "Kairi...Kairi is safe, even if I'm not with her. I know she'll be okay. Someday we can return to her together." He sighed, looking at the endless shadows around them. "I'm the one who belongs here, not the other way around. You helped me so much in the end, Riku, you–"

  


"Dammit, Sora, that doesn't mean anything!" Riku snapped. "I betrayed you! You were my friend all along and I was too stupid to see that! I gave myself willingly over to darkness. I deserved to be controlled by Ansem. And I deserve to be here. This is my atonement for the sins I committed against you."

  


"But Riku, you don't have to atone for anything," Sora argued. "You're my friend, and friends forgive and forget. They also help each other."

  


Riku was silent for a few moments, staring into space. "You're right," he said at last. "Friends help one another to stay safe. And you're not safe here, even if you're here only in heart. So if you don't leave of your own will, Sora–" Riku's voice took on a hardened edge, "–then I'll make you leave."

  


"And how are you going to accomplish that?" Sora asked skeptically.

  


Riku half-smiled. Sora suddenly realized he was carrying his silver-black Keyblade–Sora hadn't noticed it on him before. Before either of them could say another word, both Keyblades began to glow brighter, vibrating in their hands as the shadows around them thickened.

  


Riku was abruptly alert, his eyes flickering everywhere. "They're coming," he said in a voice so low it was barely a whisper.

  


"Yeah." Sora grimly assumed a defensive stance, scanning the shadows for movement or gleaming, yellow eyes. "We'd better wake Mickey."

  


"No need," the mouse whispered, appearing at their side wielding his own Keyblade. All three were glowing brighter than ever and humming as if warming up for the coming battle.

  


Then the shadows all around them began to move, and it was only then that Sora, Riku, and Mickey realized the trouble they were in. An entire army of Heartless had come to play.

* * *

  


To be continued.


	3. Part III

_A note from the Hime no Argh herself–_

  


Hello all! Welcome to the third and final part of _There Will Always Be. _Thanks for following this far, hope you enjoy!

  


***

  


Part III

  


"Darkside!" Sora gasped.

  


The giant Heartless who had been Sora's first foe stood among the advancing army. "He isn't like your Darksides, Sora," Riku said grimly as he pressed back to back with Sora and Mickey. "The Heartless here are much stronger than the ones in the worlds outside."

  


"So this is why they avoided our camp for so long," Mickey said, waving his Keyblade back and forth as though to shoo away the advancing Heartless. "They were planning this."

  


"We'll beat 'em," Sora said with a kind of grim confidence that he didn't feel. "All of 'em."

  


"That's right." Mickey grinned at Sora. "Remember, Sora? There will always be–"

  


_"A door to the light!" _Three voices finished the intonation as three Keyblades attacked.

  


Sora gave himself over to his Keyblade once again. His mind went blank and a peace as deep as the oceans of Atlantica settled deep inside his soul. Wave after wave of Heartless attacked but Sora drove them all back with his Keyblade, fighting faster and harder than he ever had in his life. Heartless attacked from above, but Sora leapt into the air to cut through them, spinning like a cyclone, and struck down half a dozen before his feet ever touched the ground.

  


Riku was all speed and steel and sharp edges, hacking and slicing mercilessly. Mickey darted back and forth between their feet like lightning; his size made it easier for him to elude attacks. The three never once fouled one another's movements; they covered each other, taking down the Heartless the others had missed. Even in his calm, detached state Sora marveled at the deadly precision and perfect synchronicity with which the three fought, their hearts inexplicably linked through their Keyblades.

"We've got to get Darkside," Riku said grimly, slicing a Heartless in two with a quick slash. "He'll just keep summoning more."

  


He was right. Darkside had a pool of inky black shadows at its feet from which more Heartless rose. Darkside bent forward slowly to plunge a hand in the inky black muck, and Riku made his move. Cutting through the Heartless, he darted up Darkside's arm to plunge his Keyblade into its forehead.

  


The giant Heartless bellowed in pain, jerking back and forth in an effort to dislodge Riku, but he somehow maintained his balance on Darkside's shoulder. Riku yanked the Keyblade from Darkside's forehead and swung down as if to strike the Heartless's empty chest– 

  


Then one of Darkside's hands struck Riku, flinging him like a rag doll into a waiting swarm of Heartless.

  


"RIKU!" Sora dove into the swarm as Mickey threw himself at Darkside.

  


In an entire swarm of Heartless there was no room for his Keyblade, so Sora simply clawed through the shadows, desperately seeking Riku. He felt a set of Heartless claws, then a second, third, and fourth sink into his chest and he gasped in pain. It was like so many of his nightmares, and he felt his energy being drained away–he was here only in heart, the Heartless were devouring him–

  


No. He would not give up. He and Riku would fight. They would live.

  


Sora gave a desperate lunge, blindly seeking, and his hand gripped another–warm, solid–it was Riku's. He clawed through the Heartless toward a glimmer of silver. "Riku!"

  


Riku was worse off than he–no less than half a dozen Heartless had their claws sunk into him; his face was bloodless and shining with sweat, his green eyes frantic, but he was fighting. Sora sensed it rather than saw it. Mickey entered the fray, hacking and slashing through the Heartless with his Keyblade, and the three gathered at the heart of the swarm. 

  


Riku gritted his teeth in pain and determination. "Not again. I won't give into the darkness–_not again!"_

  


And without hesitating, without thinking, without knowing why, Sora, Riku, and Mickey brought their Keyblades to bear and joined them at the tips. Light exploded from the ends of the Keyblades in a great wave that shuddered through the army of Heartless, throwing all of Kingdom Hearts into sharp, blinding relief.

  


Then the light was gone, the Heartless with it.

  


Sora had to blink several times before his vision finally cleared of the spots the great light had left. He didn't like to think what damage that light would have done had he been in his real body, after hours spent in near-darkness. He found Mickey beside him with a hand tightly covering his eyes. "Mickey?"

  


The mouse let his hand fall and looked around. "They're all gone," he said reverently, then looked at Sora. "Good thing I thought to cover my eyes, huh? With that light..." He shook his head. "I could be blind right now."

  


_Blind..._ Sora felt a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Riku," he muttered, casting about for his friend.

  


Riku lay on his side a few feet away, his eyes tightly shut. Sora shook his shoulder gently. "Riku? You okay?"

  


Riku gripped Sora's wrist suddenly and his eyes flew open. They were still as bright and green as ever, but they had lost the sharpness that always made Sora feel as though Riku were staring right through him. Riku's eyes sought him out and found his face, and the sinking feeling in Sora's stomach grew tenfold. Riku was looking at him, but not seeing him.

  


"You're blind," Sora said softly.

  


Riku's grip on his wrist tightened, and a ghost of his old grin fluttered across his features. "Yeah," he said shakily, "but I still have my heart."

* * *

  


Sora seemed far more depressed about Riku's loss of vision than Mickey or even Riku himself. "Don't be so glum, Sora," Riku told him as Mickey fastened a makeshift blindfold over his eyes. "It's not that bad. I don't need eyes to fight; my Keyblade'll guide me."

  


"Riku's loss of sight may not be permanent," Mickey added, tying the blindfold with a tight knot. "After being in near-darkness for two years, his eyes were damaged by that incredible light. But if he protects his eyes and keeps them covered, his vision may come back."

  


But Sora was still upset. "Why didn't you look away, Riku?"

  


"Because I haven't seen real light for two years," was the quiet reply. "Because it was a thousand times more beautiful than painful. I don't regret looking for a second, blind or not."

  


Sora was momentarily distracted from Riku's eyes. "What _was_ that light, anyway?"

  


Mickey chuckled. "I'm surprised you even have to ask that, Sora. After all, wasn't it you who said that Kingdom Heart is light?" He indicated the shadowy world around them with a sweep of his hand. "This place is the heart of all worlds, a place of shadows. But Kingdom Hearts exists not just here, but inside all of our hearts. Even in the blackest heart there is a light shining that will never die. We called that light to us. We found Kingdom Hearts inside of ourselves."

  


Sora was quiet, mulling this over. At last Riku broke the silence.

  


"Well," he said in a brisk tone, "the Heartless won't try anything like that for a while, that's for sure. Which means it's time for you to go, Sora."

  


"Are you joking?" Sora demanding. "An army of Heartless attack, you go blind, and you expect me to just waltz off and leave you and Mickey here alone? I don't think so."

  


Riku sighed. "Mickey, would you mind giving me a minute alone with Sora?"

  


"Not a problem." Mickey smiled at Sora. "So long, Sora. We'll meet again."

  


Sora frowned after the mouse as he walked off. Mickey talked as though he knew Sora were leaving, despite all his protests. "I'm not going," he said firmly, turning back to Riku. "You need me."

  


Riku smiled. "I told you, Sora, I have my Keyblade to guide me." As he spoke the weapon appeared in his hands, and Riku lovingly ran his hands over the silvery-black blade. "You remember my Keyblade, don't you, Sora? Yours has the power to unlock doors–" Riku turned toward Sora, his smile broadening, "–and mine has the power to unlock hearts."

  


Sora stared at him. "Yeah, I remember..." Abruptly it hit him, and he gasped. "Riku, _don't!"_

  


Too late. Riku thrust the Keyblade forward and through Sora's chest.

  


Sora staggered back as Riku let go of the handle with a strangled gasp. There was no pain, only a warmth that spread from the Keyblade through his veins, followed by the indelible feeling of slowly drifting away. He tried to grip the stem of the Keyblade to pull it out, but his hands merely passed through the metal–they were transparent and fading fast. Only his heart existed here in Kingdom Hearts, and Riku had just released it.

  


"Go back to your body, Sora," Riku said quietly. "Go to where you belong."

  


Sora tried to reach for him, tried to call his friend's name, but he no longer had a voice with which to speak. The shadowy world around him dissolved–he was fleeing Kingdom Hearts, returning to his physical body in a whirl of color and light.

* * *

  


"Sora? Sora!"

  


Sora groaned and stirred, holding a hand to his forehead, which was aching sharply.

  


"SORA!"

  


Only one voice was that grating. Sora opened his eyes and scowled up at Donald. "D'you have to be so loud?"

  


_"Sora!" _Donald and Goofy threw themselves onto Sora's chest, hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. Just as suddenly they let go and pulled back, and Sora realized he was lying on the bed in his hotel room–exactly where he'd left his body when he projected himself into Kingdom Hearts.

  


Donald looked furious. "WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!"

  


"Donald–" Sora began.

  


"WE COME BACK AND FIND YOU HALF-DEAD–"

  


"Donald–"

  


"NO EXPLANATION, NOTHING, WE THOUGHT A HEARTLESS HAD GOTTEN YOU–"

  


"DONALD!" Sora bellowed. "Will you calm down and listen?!" 

  


Donald shut up with an angry hiss, and Sora explained as thoroughly as he could. When he was done, Goofy blinked at him, looking mystified.

  


"Ya mean you actually went to Kingdom Hearts?"

  


"No, just my heart. And then Riku..." 

  


Donald waved that aside. "That means we can all go! We can help the king and your friend!"

  


Sora shook his head. "We _can't, _Donald. Our bodies will still be out here–and who would find and open the door to Kingdom Hearts?"

  


"Oh," Donald said, looking put-out.

  


"Well, we'll just have t'find that door," Goofy said brightly. "C'mon, let's get going!"

There was another reason Sora couldn't return to Kingdom Hearts–Riku. He would never let Sora stay, no matter what happened. Sora knew that now. Because if he had a stubborn streak a mile wide, Riku's stretched across the vastness of worlds, and his devotion to Sora went even further. Sora knew that because his own devotion to Riku was the same, and he would not stop moving, he would never rest, until Riku and Mickey were free from Kingdom Hearts.

  


_There will always be a door to the light._

  


"Yes," said Sora, smiling. "Let's go."

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
